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8.10.2012

Gettin' Scrappy

in a previous post, I shared some simple ways to change the look of a room for fall.
here are a few more photos and ideas from that 'tattered & torn' room...

sofas are just more comfy filled with pillows, don't you think?
i love pillows that add texture and interest to a room,
so i usually make my own covers from scraps of miscellaneous fabrics i have on hand.
the ones shown here are made from .... oh, come on, you know this... old sweaters. o yeah. i did.
i had some really soft, comfy old sweaters in creamy colors that i loved -
but they had stretched out a bit and i couldn't wear them anymore.
[i had streched out a bit, too, but let's not go there....]

i thought that i could still enjoy the softness of the sweaters if they were covering pillows, so...

The How-To:
*cut the arms off of the sweaters and flip the sweater body inside-out 
*sew a line up both sides and across the neck hole
*turn the cover right-side out, and pop a throw pillow form inside
[you can get cheap pillows at Ross, Marshalls, or the thrift store.]
*hand-stitch the bottom edge closed

*when you want to wash them, cut the threads and the pillow comes out -
and because it is the bottom hem of the original sweater, it doesn't unravel in the wash.
*put the pillow form back into the cover, and re-stitch it closed.

i didn't make these as 'envelope'-style covers because sweaters SAG,
and when i am cuddled up on the sofa on a rainy fall day,
i don't want the sweater cover sagging and falling off the pillow under my head.

another of the pillows is covered in a muslin fabric, and i DID sew that one with an envelope closure.
[i had some remant scraps in a box, but you could just as easily buy the fabric -
muslin is about $3 a yard.] then i tied a thick piece of string around it for interest.
another thing you can do with fabric scraps is change the look of your lampshades!
it's simple, really - wrap a bit of fabric around the shade, and pin it to help it keep its shape.
no glue, no fuss, no muss.
the two lamps shown above have two types of fabric on each shade,
just layered over one another and then pinned together.
[the fabric is pinned in smaller at the top, so it doesn't fall off the shade]
a simple string tied around adds interest and keeps the fabric in place, as well.
you could also use removable tape to secure the fabric.

mine is loose and unstructured - yours might be cut to size and crisp.
or maybe you will use strips and tie them vertically around a wire lampshade frame...
[i actually have another post planned to share ideas like that!]
just match your own style!

and i have to say, the ivory fabric over the white shades made the light in these rooms GOLDEN.
[i looked ten years younger in those rooms! man, i miss those lamps.....]

4 comments:

  1. Some great ideas here- I think those sweater pillows are so much fun. Your lampshade is darling- xo Diana

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  2. I love the things you have on your ottoman. The pumpkins in the jar and the candles with stones and birdseed in the bottom of the jars. What great ideas that I can't wait to try.

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  3. Hi. I love your sweater pillows. I bought a sweater from Goodwill just to make a pillow, but never did. Now I'm inspired! I've been enjoying your past posts. I'm you're newest follower, hope you'll follow me back.

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  4. Thank you for your comments, ladies - I really do appreciate you sharing your thoughts!

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